Gonsoirs of Groton get all of family involved

March 09, 2007

Name and Location of operation: Gonsoir Quarter Horses- Groton, SD People involved: The Gonsoir family includes: $$$li$$$Kristen- gives lessons, trains horses for others, shows, horse show judge, manages the horse breeding and is also a high school chemistry teacher and debate coach $$$li$$$Tim- puts up the hay and grain for the horses and helps with the horse breeding also works full time for Doug Sombke and calves out 70 cows of ours $$$li$$$Stan (18- HS senior) trains horses for others, shows, rodeos and helps with the Gonsoir horses $$$li$$$Joellen (10- 4th grader) shows and helps with the Gonsoir horses Horse Specialty-We specialize in producing and training the "All-Around" horse, a horse that can be shown in multiple events. We also seem to "specialize" in producing gray horses. We stand gray AQHA stallion, Daddys Legacy, who has AQHA points in halter, barrels, heading, horsemanship and trail and has earned 18 AQHA all-around titles or runner up all around titles. We also sell foals we produce throughout the United States. We have Daddys Legacy babies coast to coast. Describe facility- We have one quarter horse stallion - Daddys Legacy, 6 quarter horse broodmares, 1 thoroughbred broodmare, a couple of quarter horse geldings, and some young quarter horse stock. We breed outside mares to our stallion via live cover and shipped semen in addition to breeding our own mares. Most of our foals we sell as weanlings but we keep a few to show ourselves. Stan and Kristen (me) train about 10 client horses during the spring and summer months. Kristen also judges horse shows and gives riding lessons. Kristen is also an SDQHA director. Stan, Kristen, Joellen all show- open, 4-H and AQHA shows. What was the name of the first horse you rode or owned? My (Kristen's) first horse was a very foundered and naughty pony named Patches that the neighbor gave to me. I think the conversation went something like this "If you can talk your Daddy into coming and getting that pony, you can have it...." That started it all. Why and when did you become involved with horses? I started with that naughty pony named above and progressed through 4-H with a nice part Arabian mare my parents bought from Tom Aman. When I was 12 I got my first quarter horse- Mr. Two D Doc who taught me much about horses. Doc was my first introduction to quarter horses and I fell in love with them from there. Doc was NOT a kids horse. Through 4-H and SDQHYA I took him from a horse that broke a halter each day trying to run away to a state quarter horse youth high point reining horse and a top rate pole bending horse. I have always loved the horse breeding part of the horse industry. As a 12 year old I begged my parents to take me to a horse breeding seminar conducted by a world known equine reproduction specialist. I wonder what everyone thought of this 12-year-old girl sitting in the sessions on horse reproduction- and raising her hand asking fairly in depth questions. I didn't think it was odd that I was the only one there under the age of 24. I think I had to miss a day of school for it too. How many horses have you trained or broken? I am not sure- quite a few. What do you see in the future of the horse industry? Right now in many areas the quarter horse is being bred specifically for one event- a halter horse, a cutting horse, a western pleasure horse, or a hunter under saddle horse. I think this trend to breed for one event is going to start to reverse and people are going to want to return to owning a quarter horse that can do well in multiple things. Most youth and amateurs that go to a quarter horse show want to show in multiple events. I think we will see a focus in breeding programs to more all-around horses, especially within the halter horse industry. What does you or your family get out or raising, training horses? My sister-in-law, Amy Krueger, helps me greatly in the barn and we often laugh that all the stall cleaning we do beats joining a health club. Horses are excellent therapy after a long day at work. I think it was Winston Churchill who said the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man. The "horse thing" is really a family venture and provides quality family time. You really get to know what your teenager/preteenager is thinking when you spend many hours a week in a barn doing chores and cleaning out stalls with them. Some of our best talks have been over a wheelbarrow. If you could ride any horse in time, what horse would you ride? Thoroughbred filly Ruffian would be my all time pick. I remember as a kid watching the match race where she broke her leg. I cried and cried. I would also love to ride "Doc" one more time through a pole bending pattern - but I think I would need Velcro in my saddle now. Do you have any particular accomplishment you would like to mention? I would really like to include something about the story of how our stallion came to be. A rather heartfelt story is behind how our stallion, Daddys Legacy, got his name. I was a horse crazy little girl and my non-horsey parents worked hard to help me follow my dream. When I was a teen they found me a beautiful gray quarter horse mare named Sue Bee Pat. (she came after Doc) Susie would go on to become my trusted friend and the mother to Daddys Legacy. Susie and I became a fairly successful team in the show pen, earning numerous awards. She later helped my brother and eventually my son earn many awards. I went off to college, got married, and started my family and my career while my parents kept my horses for me, including Susie. In 1999 I decided I wanted to raise a foal again so I decided to breed Susie. We had since moved our horses to our own farm. I found the perfect stallion, Skip Legacy. The only draw back was he was in Arkansas and we are in South Dakota. The answer, shipped semen. Adding the vet fees for shipped semen to my plan made it financially out of reach. My Dad quickly volunteered to help. He wanted this to be another daddy/daughter project. He loved to see the foals born and play with the new babies. We bred Susie and eleven months later we were awaiting her foal. My Dad, who was an over the road truck driver, waited as long as he could on a Sunday afternoon to leave, hoping he would see the new arrival. Sunday came and went and still no foal. Dad left for California, and I went to work. Late on Monday night a dun (but destined to be gray) long legged beautiful colt was born. My whole family was there to watch, except Dad. Dad called first thing Tuesday evening when he stopped for supper to hear all about the new baby. He died of a massive heart attack about one hour later at a truck check. It was some friends of ours that suggested the name Daddys Legacy at Dad's funeral and the name stuck instantly. Daddys Legacy has turned into the horse that my Dad and I dreamed of raising and owning. Do you have some advice for other horse people? Listen to your heart as you raise and train horses. Horses are not machines and each one is different. Not every horse will respond the same way to training styles or methods. Don't get caught up in trying to follow every fad in the show ring or training pen. Don't be afraid to march to the beat of your own drummer- as long as you are still playing music. Comments- During the past couple of years we have sold Daddys Legacy babies across the United States. This coming spring several of them will be making their show dŽbuts and I am really excited to see how they do. Pictures and more info at www.gonsoirquarterhorses.com